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I don’t know how popular it is to dedicate blog posts to your houseplants (Academy Awards-style), but I dedicate this post to my oxalis, the one reliably sturdy plant that kickstarted my love for burgundy houseplant goodness.
Before oxalis came into my life (wipes tear, points to the plant in question sitting on a shelf!) I thought houseplants were meant to be green.
Or red. Or black.
I’m not a big fan of red for indoor decor, but I love the dramatic flair of burgundy. And deep down I think I’m craving the symbolism that comes with it: the color of royalty, the adornment of chateaux, the panache of luxury. Hey, a poor millennial can dream, right?
So I bought into the burgundy houseplant obsession hook, line and sinker. And I’m here to throw the sinker your way too. Here’s where to start:
1. Oxalis triangularis
It’s only fair to start this list with the plant that inspired it, oxalis, also known as the burgundy shamrock. It’s the plant on the left in the featured image above.
It’s one of my personal favorites because it does what I wish all houseplants did: it tells you exactly what it wants and when. When it droops (during the day), it’s thirsty. When it closes (during the day), it needs more light. When it moves away from the light … you guessed it … it has too much light. This burgundy plant is really easy to take care of because it takes the guesswork out of the carework.
The flowers of this plant are edible (they even came with an ‘edible’ label when I bought mine). But don’t mistake the burgundy oversized-clover-like leaves for the flowers. The flowers are bright pink and much smaller, and they usually bloom in late spring and early summer.
Keep it happy
Oxalis prefers a humid environment and moderately dry soil. It can tolerate bright light indoors, but not direct sunlight outdoors. The leaves close when it gets dark and open up again in the morning. It’s a very forgiving plant due to its corms (the root structure that resembles a rhizome) that help the plants store energy. Be gentle though!
I curated a collection of different varieties of oxalis that you can order online (including some candy cane and golden cultivars).
2. Burgundy rubber tree (Ficus elastica)
Growing rubber trees is an art in and of itself. This plant is a slow grower, so it requires a time investment. But it was so worth it lugging it from one apartment to another as a babe and a teen (the plant, not me). The Ficus elastica ‘Burgundy’, also known as ‘burgundy rubber tree’, has thick, leathery glossy leaves that are either burgundy or dark green in color. The more consistent filtered light it gets, the more burgundy it gets.
Keep it happy
They like a well-draining and well-aerated soil and lots of bright filtered light. Keep your burgundy rubber tree near a window with sheer curtains to give it some of that light it craves. This plant can survive in a low light spot, but its leaves will get green and its stem will become etiolated. This means that as it stretches towards the sun, the distance between the leaf nodes increases. Some people don’t like that look, but I don’t mind it. As long as the plant is healthy otherwise, it doesn’t really matter how lanky it gets.
One extra care step you have to take with the burgundy rubber trees is wiping the dust off the surface of the leaf. Because their leaves are so glossy, they attract dust almost as quickly as my laptop screen. Using a damp rag or a damp old glove works wonders for cleaning your houseplants.
Here’s a gorgeous variegated Ficus elastica with burgundy hues from The Odd Frond.
3. Tradescantia zebrina
Tradescantia zebrina – with its grey leaves swirling with burgundy stripes – has an almost psychedelic look. This easy fast-growing houseplant is considered invasive and banned in South Africa and the Galapagos Islands. I don’t take invasive species lightly, but oh, if only it could invade all the walls of my home office, what a cheerful space this would be. Mt plant is currently only covering a bookshelf and a half, but it does need a bit of trimming.
Tradescantia is an excellent burgundy plant to be generous with, as it sends down nodules that root both in water and in soil. I prefer to start new plants in water, but if you’re impatient and want to cut out the middle step, soil also works.
Keep it happy.
I know that my tendency is to overwater plants, so whenever I feel the risk of being too heavy-handed with my watering can, I choose a terracotta plant for that particular plant. And let me tell ya’, my Tradescantia zebrina was not happy in her new terracotta home. The soil dried out way too quickly and the leaves started looking a bit worse for wear. Tradescantias like water and humidity (not sogginess), and I’ve noticed that mine are at their happiest in a ceramic glazed pot with a generous draining hole.
This is one burgundy plant that you don’t really need to grow directly next to a window. In fact, I’m growing them a good five feet away from both an east- and a west-facing window. They do get a little bit stretchy trying to reach the light, but that only means there’s more to love and share around when I have my pruning shears handy.
You can also grow them outside if you live in a milder climate (I don’t), but they’re not frost hardy.
If you already have a Tradescantia Zebrina, check out this Red Gem Tradescantia.
4. Alocasia Polly (Alocasia Amazonica ‘Polly’ aka Elephant ear plant)
I admit, at a first glance, this one looks more like a dinosaur plant than a burgundy plant. But step closer and take a peek at the underside of the leaves. What do you see? A rich, purple-magenta underside with neon-green veining.
Alocasia Polly is nicknamed the Elephant ear plant after its large arrow-shaped leaves that look like the ears of an elephant.
I fell deep down the rabbit hole of researching the origin of this plant, mostly because I wanted to know who the heck Polly was, but even the Missouri Botanical Garden catalog kind of shrugs its shoulders and says that the origins of this hybrid are unknown.
Keep it happy
Alocasia Polly likes spots with bright filtered light. It doesn’t do very well with dryness and drought, so try to keep the soil moist, but not too wet. I’m not in the habit of misting my plants, so I don’t mist this one either, although I’ve seen this piece of advice given everywhere regarding Alocasia. I think misting just invites mold, fungi and other unpleasant guests to the leaf surface.
A gentle word of warning: if you live in a colder climate, your Alocasia Polly will go dormant in winter (they often do). This means it will lose some or most of its leaves. This is normal, and nothing to worry about, though you should adjust your watering schedule accordingly. You can keep watering, but definitely cut down on the quantity. Think of a dormant plant as a plant that just needs a nap to restore its strength. Never drown someone who’s napping!
If you’re lucky and you treat it right, your Alocasia Polly might even bloom in the warmer season (usually in late spring or early summer). The bloom is neon-green and transitions to a whiter color as it opens up more.
For a more dramatic (and pricier) choice, check out Alocasia Nebula Imperialis. I don’t have any experience with it, but I imagine the requirements to keep it happy are pretty similar to that of Alocasia amazonica.
5. Peperomia graveolens ‘Ruby glow’
(ships from California)
Peperomia ‘Ruby glow’ is such an easy-to-grow succulent. And this is coming from someone who has killed more succulents than they (ahem, me!) would care to admit. The succulent looks like a miniature bush with burgundy leaf underside. The stem is also burgundy, so take that as a sign of beauty too.
Keep it happy
As succulents tend to, this one also craves as much sunlight as it can get indoors. However, it’s not as chunky as other succs, so make sure it stays watered and don’t allow the soil to dry out for too long. My Ruby glow started off as a miniature bush, but because I used to live in a rather dark apartment, it stretched so much that it now resembles a circus performer on stilts. Let’s just say I like it better this way better. And even now, when it has better access to sunlight, it twists, turns and bends in the oddest ways.
In terms of soil, it does better with a grittier succulent soil mix that doesn’t stay soggy for too long.
6. Cordyline Fruticosa (Ti plant)
If you live in Hawaii or Florida, you may be more familiar with the Ti plant as a garden plant, rather than an indoor friend. But this burgundy houseplant can be grown indoors in temperate and colder climates. It has long, dark-burgundy leaves and its shape resembles palm trees, so I have no idea why its popular name is “cabbage plant.” It looks nothing like any cabbages I’ve ever seen.
Keep it happy
The Ti plant likes moist soils, bright light and high humidity. It doesn’t tolerate being left too dry for too long, and it tends to get crispy around the edges quickly if it doesn’t get enough water.
In spite of what it may sound like, this is not a high-maintenance plant. If you’ve ever kept a dracaena or a pony tail palm tree alive, then you’ll do fine with a Ti plant as well.
And if you’re feeling like you need a bit of motivation, look up a few videos of this plant on YouTube just to see how large it gets in the wild. Did I say motivation? I may have meant jealousy.
This Cordyline ‘Maui Paint Brush’ from Let’s Talk Plants is a show stopper. It ships from California. Search through their shop using the upper right search box if it’s not available on the first page.
7. Begonias
Lately, I’ve been finding myself talking about begonias more than I’ve ever intended. It’s hard not to, really. They’re fascinating and seemingly everywhere in different shades of disguise. You’ve probably walked past a begonia this week, and you had no idea. There are about 1500 species of begonias out there, not to mention hundreds of cultivars (a factoid I learned from the American Begonia Society), so there’s one for every leaf-love taste under the sun: hearts, seashell swirls, ivy-like contours, spikey, triangular, oval … I guarantee you’ll find a begonia to love.
And there are begonias out there in every color too.
Have a look at this collection of stunning colorful begonias.
Here are five burgundy begonias that are easier to find for sale:
Begonia ‘Fireworks’ – like the one in the photo above
Begonia ‘Ideal burgundy’ – like this one from Bear Root Farms (Oregon)
Begonia ‘Shadow king’
Begonia ‘Red tango’
Begonia ‘Purple rain’ – like this one from Bear Root Farms
Begonia ‘Fire woman’
Keep it happy
I’m sometimes reluctant to recommend begonias to anyone new to plant growing. That’s because they’re a little bit of a prima donna plant: they like medium to bright light, medium to heavy moisture and medium to warm temperatures. They also need good air circulation; otherwise they may develop mildew.
With begonias, I often find myself in a “the princess and the pea” scenario in which everything has to be just about right, otherwise the princess won’t have a good night’s sleep. Having said that, don’t let me discourage you from bringing home a begonia. They’re absolutely the show-stoppers of the houseplant world and some of my friends think they’re simply indestructible plants.
If you’re just starting out, focus on rhizomatous varieties which are heirloom and hardier than the newer hybrids. Think of the begonias our grandmothers used to keep before modern conveniences such as grow lights, indoor heating and filtered tap water. A good rhizomatous begonia plant to start with is Begonia Erythrophylla (aka beefsteak begonia).
I hope this list of burgundy houseplants gives you a good taste for what you can find for sale in this color. I’m still keeping an eye out for more plants in shades of burgundy, and I’ll add new plants I get to this list once I’ve figured out how to keep them happy.
Let me know if you have a burgundy plant you like. You can email me via the contact form on this website or simply reply to one of my newsletters or comment on Instagram. I’m sorry I don’t have enough time to deal with the spam that comes my way when I keep the comments section open. But I do love it when readers get in touch.
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